There is a desperate need to find qualified machinist. People are wondering where can we get training? When can we find the time to get trained? Who is going to do the training?Well, how about we take a look at the Akron CNC Training Center. There will be classes starting soon! The training center will offer morning, afternoon, and evening sessions to accommodate a busy schedule. The classes are taught by experienced instructors who are eager to pass on their skills and knowledge. Let’s not hesitate any longer and get a jump start towards an exciting career!

Workforce Development covers a broad range of skills, but regardless of industry, what IS evident is that all industries need help! The need to find skilled talent is a problem and people are searching for new ideas on how to solve this problem. Is a possible solution to make connections between Community Colleges and Employers? Where do these key stakeholders fit in when it comes to addressing the workforce development issues?

Another area of concern is Quality. When we take a deeper look at the communities, colleges, and employers, we find that it takes people who are passionate to ensure the quality of work. These entities are made up of people who churn the wheels. Their commitment is necessary for quality and for continuous improvement. It is more than just starting, it is the day to day follow through, evaluation, and the ability to innovate.

We can’t leave it up to others to solve this dilemma without contributing some of our own time on this journey. There must be a willingness to understand the work and time that it takes to see things through. There are people who are falling through the cracks that want to find jobs. They want to be trained. We might need to look at some non traditional means to finding, training, and developing skilled talent.

For those of us that are football fans, especially if your team is one of the two remaining survivors, Super Sunday is upon us! This is a day of great anticipation to either cheer for a team or enjoy the new commercials that air throughout the game. I have come to appreciate both, but I am just as excited about the many initiatives geared toward workforce development that are available near you.

If you’re like many whose team didn’t make it to the final game this year, we are left with some choices. We can stay in the moment and be disappointed, or move on and understand that there is always next year. We can choose to enjoy the festivities that surrounds the game or completely blow it off. What approach will we decide to take? Isn’t this similar to finding a job? We might not have the job we want currently, we don’t know where to look, and we wonder what the future looks like? So, do we continue to be unhappy or can we look at some programs that can help provide options to not just another job, but a pathway to a career.

There is a movement to have schools, programs, and employers get together to address the need in closing the skills gap. What we have relied upon traditionally may need to be revisited. There comes a time when we need to ask ourselves is it working? If so, then why are we still in the same predicament of an increasing skills gap? Are we aligning our development programs with the skills that will be needed for the future? Isn’t it time that we try something different? Something different may look like exploring a variety of methods, providing more flexibility, and presenting the true image of opportunity. Finding and developing skilled talent is necessary if we want to win the race.

Our success can be dependent upon how aware we become, how we educate ourselves, and how diligently we pursue our passion.

Has the excitement of the New Year worn off yet? Are we just as determined for that new start? Hopefully, we are on track with a plan. A plan that is driven by our passion to succeed. If not, don’t give up, because there is still hope and 2017 is only beginning! There are however, some familiar questions about career choices that have carried over from last year.

As we reflect upon our plan for the new year and take some time to re-energize, it is important to understand the body of work necessary in making it come together. Reflection involves establishing a continuous plan for improvement by identifying where we are in comparison to where we want to be. To collect, organize, and explain the data that supports not just where we want to be, but how we can get there? This is where diligence pays off. It may be the determining factor for what career pathways are present and how successful we can become!

Workforce development covers a broad spectrum. It incorporates education, training, and creating opportunities for people to learn skills that will provide a means for employment. So, why is this essential? This is essential because employers are finding it difficult to fill positions.

Across the country, employers are struggling to fill positions for machinists,radiology technicians and software developers—jobs that range from middle skill to high skill. The U.S. economy will create more than 16 million good-paying jobs through 2024 that do not require a bachelor’s degree.

(The HILL)

These positions require middle to high level skills that can be taught beginning in high school. The idea of having to go to college to learn these skills, or that you have to go to college to get a job are common themes that have traditionally gone unchallenged. There are alternative options that can lead to success. What is evident is that we are lacking in the areas of Technology and STEM competencies. We are also in need of people who posses problem solving and critical thinking skills. Improving our workforce might begin with changing how we view preparing our youth, not just currently, but for the future needs of employers. It is good to know that there is an industry that will provide opportunities for a career, but if we are not addressing the demand for the required skill sets, then the problem will get worse.

We have heard the saying that “It’s the little things we take for granted” but sometimes its the big things as well. In this day and age of social media awareness, high-tech products, and IT programs we make some assumptions about how tech savvy we really are? Children are growing up with and learning how to use technology in ways we never thought of or had available at the time (I know, I am dating my self), but the fact remains that what we see being used, advertised, and who uses them may not really define what digital literacy truly means?

According to the Princeton-based Educational Testing Service, millennials are lacking a specific skill that employers routinely need: a category they define as “problem-solving in technology-rich environments.”

(Kevin J. Conlan)

So, what is the problem? Students are graduating from high school and college without adequate tech skills and competency which will negatively affect the nation’s economy and skilled workforce.

Possible solutions:

IT focused programs which can improve the quality for years to come.

Accelerated learning programs that provide credentialing.

Government funding and business partnerships to support training and development.